After the Spotlight - Submission to Government

Monday the 11th of December, in Buswells Hotel in Dublin City Right of Place Second Chance launched our document entitled;

After the Spotlight

Submission to Government on the Long term support of Surviors of institutional Child Abuse and their families.

Micheál Walsh, Director of Services, presenting the After the Spotlight document.

In what was an historic day for survivors and their families, the real long term need of survivors and their families as articulated by survivors themselves was launched to a small gathering in Dublin City.

The submission focusses on the research led needs as described to us by 106 individual survivors in research, 29 individual survivors in focus Groups, 1,150 survivors who contacted ROP/SC for support and assistance and the views of over 800 UK based survivors into their long term needs.

The key areas that ROP/SC is calling on the Government to implement to ensure survivors can face a future with cetainty and acknowledgement are;

1) HEALTH: Survivors to be given an ehanced medical card.

Enhanced medical care for survivors by the granting of the HAA Medical card would recognise the ongoing medical challenges facing survivors today.

2) PENSION: Survivors are given an automatic entitlement to the State (Contributory) Pension

Offering survivors automatic entitlement to the State Pension (Contributory) upon reaching pensionable age would provide a demonstration of the Government’s recognition of survivors’ contribution to the Irish economy and work performed in institutions.

3) HOUSING: Survivors are given a priority in relation to social housing

Giving priority to survivors regarding the allocation of social housing and resettlement supports would recognise the adverse effects of their institutionalisation and abuse as children, which has, in many cases, led to emigration, low levels of home ownership, orhomelessness.

4) CHILDREN OF SURVIVORS: That survivors children and grandchildren are offered supports.

Providing access to funding for education, training and associated supports would enable the families of survivors, to break the cycle of poverty, which was, in part, caused by the institutionalisation and physical and emotional abuse experienced by survivors (theirparents).

5) FUTURE: That the needs of Survivors are reviewed yearly to see if there has been any improvement in Survivors lives.

The creation of a national Survivor strategy that allows survivors have a say on their needs and is reviewed yearly to measure improvements to survivors lives.

Through our anecdotal evidence of speaking to survivors over the last two years of developing this document, whilst it dosent represent every survivors views, it is indicitive of the needs and wants of the majority of survivors.

Ultimately the launch of this document is the beginning of the submission. It is an opportunity for all of us to focus on the long term needs of survivors and it is an opportunity for the state to acknowledge the wrongs committed on survivors and their families and commit to supporting survivors health, housing and pension needs.

We would recommend all survivors to read the document, which can be downloaded below and support us in the campaign to achieve the aims.